Virtual arrest case: Udupi Police arrest 2 accused from Gujarat

Udupi: In a swift operation, Udupi police have arrested two individuals from Gujarat involved in an online fraud case, where they allegedly duped a doctor of over Rs 1.33 crores by impersonating Mumbai customs officials.

The accused, identified as Nawadia Mukesh Bhai/Ganesh Bhai (44) from Dabholi Road, Surat City, and Dharamjeet Kamlesh Chauhan (28) from Akashvani Chowk, Rajkot, were apprehended by the police.

The incident began on July 29, when the victim, Dr. Arun Kumar (53), received a phone call from unknown persons who claimed to be officials from Mumbai Customs. They informed him that a courier booked using his Aadhaar number contained suspicious items, including five passports, five ATM cards, 200 grams of MDMA (a banned drug), and 5,000 US dollars. They threatened him, stating that the courier was in the custody of Mumbai Customs and that his Aadhaar card was under scrutiny for misuse.

The fraudsters further escalated the situation by posing as police officers and claimed that a complaint had been registered against Dr. Kumar for the misuse of his Aadhaar card. They alleged that terrorists had used his Aadhaar details to purchase SIM cards and that his involvement in this serious case would lead to his “virtual arrest” if he did not comply with their demands. The frightened doctor was instructed to stay inside a room in his house from July 29 to August 9 and to avoid any contact with others.

To “resolve” the issue, the fraudsters directed Dr. Kumar to transfer money to various bank accounts they provided. Believing their threats and wanting to clear his name, Dr. Kumar made multiple payments, totaling Rs 1.33 crores, between August 6 and August 9.

Realizing that he had been deceived, Dr. Kumar lodged a complaint with the Udupi CEN Police Station, detailing the entire sequence of events. Upon receiving the complaint, a special team led by Police Inspector Ramachandra Nayak and including SI Ashok, along with other officers and staff members, swiftly initiated an investigation.

The police traced the fraudulent transactions and tracked down the accused in Gujarat. During the arrest, the police recovered five mobile phones and Rs 13.95 lakhs in cash from the accused, which they had obtained through the fraudulent scheme.